Twin toddlers fight for life after being pulled from pool at Kellyville Ridge

TWINS Charli and Robbi Manago are still in a critical condition on life support at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, in the third tragic backyard pool accident in Sydney this month alone.

ONE minute twin toddlers were eating ice-cream on the deck, the next they were being pulled limp and lifeless from the family pool — their mother screaming for help.

Charli and Robbi Manago were both in a critical condition on life support at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead last night in the third tragic backyard pool accident in Sydney this month alone.

Police said it was unclear how the 23-month-olds got into the pool at the family’s Kellyville Ridge home.

This picture of Robbi and Charli Manago was sent to the Australian Multiple Birth Association. Picture: Facebook

The gate was closed when their mother Fleur discovered them about 7pm on Monday.

Neighbour Michelle Skebington heard Ms Manago’s screams and yelled “Are you OK?” over the fence. “I’m so pleased my instincts said to me ‘Get over there and have a look’,” she said.

Ms Skebington performed CPR on Charli, while her husband and Fleur and Robert Manago worked on Robbi until paramedics arrived 10 minutes later.

Twins Robbi and Charli Manago are fighting for life after being found unconscious in the family’s backyard pool. Picture: Facebook

“We may have saved those children’s lives … I hope like hell we have,” she said. “We just kept going and going and going until paramedics arrived. I was so pleased to see the paramedics.

“I don’t know what to say (about the incident) to be honest … make sure you keep an eye on your children. Their pool is secure, their house is secure, and Fleur is always out there keeping an eye on them. It’s hard to keep an eye on children 24/7.”

Parents Robert and Fleur Manago, whose suffering can only be imagined right now. Picture: Facebook

The twins have four older siblings. Yesterday afternoon a family friend said Mr and Ms Manago were keeping vigil at the hospital waiting for test results on their youngest children.

“They are doing more tests on them … they are breathing and that’s the main thing,” the woman said. “We don’t know much more than that.”

There has been a spate of drownings and near-drownings already this summer, including a 14-month-old who died in a backyard pool in Port ­Stephens on Sunday.

The Kellyville Ridge home where the near-drowning took place.

One week earlier, toddler Aria Dunn died in a pool in Raby, just a few streets from where a six-year-old boy drowned in October.

The latest tragedy comes as authorities push for homeowners to make sure their pools are compliant by having functioning fences and gates. Last year seven children drowned in private swimming pools, the highest number since 2009.

In the past 15 years, 237 children have drowned in NSW in pools and waterways.

The Australian Medical Association said the backyard pool tragedies were a sad reminder of how dangerous water can be for children.

Police at the house in Kellyville Ridge where twin toddlers were pulled unconscious from a pool. Picture: SKY

“Children, particularly toddlers, are naturally curious and drawn to water and while it’s easy to get distracted, we need to be extra vigilant when kids are near pools,” AMA NSW president Professor Brad Frankum said.